Emil Bemstrom isn’t any stranger to success on the American Hockey League degree.
Earlier than becoming a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins final February by way of commerce, Bemstrom spent a part of 5 seasons with the Columbus Blue Jackets, the place his year-to-year efficiency adopted a constant script: AHL dominance however failing to interrupt by within the NHL.
In 2022-23 and ’23-24, throughout two separate stints with Columbus’ AHL affiliate, the Cleveland Monsters, Bemstrom went on a tear, managing 24 objectives with 21 assists in a mixed 29 video games.
This season, the overwhelming majority of which Bemstrom has spent with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, has seen the Nykoping, Sweden, native emerge because the group’s main scorer earlier than a Feb. 7 recall to Pittsburgh.
Bemstrom, whom the Penguins acquired in trade for Alex Nylander on Feb. 22, 2024, mirrored on a 12 months spent within the Penguins group.
“Up and down,” he stated. “I need to be up (within the NHL) in all probability the entire time, however I didn’t thoughts taking place to Wilkes to construct my confidence. I really feel so much higher now than I did earlier than. It’s been fairly enjoyable.
“(The Penguins) are an incredible group. They deal with the gamers very well and the whole lot across the ice is top-notch. It’s been an excellent time.”
Bemstrom’s Penguins debut final season was in the end unremarkable.
Whereas he flashed some modest scoring contact, he wound up being a wholesome scratch the identical quantity of occasions (3) he managed to attain a aim, ending with 5 factors in 24 video games whereas averaging solely 8 minutes, 47 seconds of nightly ice time.
Bemstrom, who signed a one-year deal price $775,000 by 2024-25 in July, then did not crack Pittsburgh’s NHL roster in October popping out of the preseason.
After being positioned on waivers and clearing, he accepted task to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, the place he dominated and was named an AHL All-Star earlier than the Penguins known as up him forward of the 4 Nations Face-Off break.
However following a Friday afternoon reassignment to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Bemstrom headed again to the AHL.
Nevertheless, Penguins administration has laid out contemporary expectations.
“It’s nice that (he received) a possibility right here,” stated Penguins assistant basic supervisor Jason Spezza, who oversees Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. “On the AHL degree, we all know that he can rating. We all know he’s as harmful as anybody on the facility play. However I feel with (Bemstrom), it’s about having a B Recreation and actually ensuring that once you’re (on the NHL degree), for those who’re not scoring, you’re doing different issues that contribute to wins (and permit) the coaches to place you on the ice.
“I feel that’s been the maturation that we’re attempting to assist him with is ensuring that his B Recreation appears to be like near his A Recreation and never such an enormous discrepancy. He’s executed a greater job of that, so I’m pleased to see him get rewarded.”
Penguins assistant coach Mike Vellucci echoed comparable sentiments to Spezza however was complimentary of Bemstrom’s small physique of NHL work this season.
In two video games, Bemstrom appeared as left wing on the membership’s third line, recording two pictures in 12:14 of ice time per contest.
“I feel to me, it’s utilizing his pace,” Vellucci stated. “He’s a very good skater. Perhaps final 12 months, he was considering somewhat an excessive amount of and he wasn’t enjoying at a quick tempo. This 12 months, he’s been very aggressive when he’s been up. I feel he had one sport earlier than the break the place we actually preferred his sport.
“He competed onerous and he used his pace to his benefit. He has the talent to play at this degree, positively. I feel if he simply performs with tempo, then he’ll be capable to say.”
At this stage, with Bemstrom being a veteran of 230 NHL video games, it hardly appears acceptable to label him an up-and-coming prospect.
By way of AHL efficiency, it’s onerous to want extra out of Bemstrom, who continues to steer Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in factors (21 objectives, 24 assists).
As Bemstrom applies himself to the acquainted job of translating AHL dominance into NHL viability, he’s putting added emphasis on the complimentary components of his sport.
“I feel it comes right down to getting extra to the soiled areas than earlier than,” Bemstrom stated. “Simply enjoying with confidence, trusting myself that I could make these performs in tight areas and get to the areas which might be open. … Getting robust in entrance of the web and within the corners — get there and win the battles.”
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